FREE Prince 2 Project Initiation Document (PID) Template

Posted by Kevin Brady on Mon 4th September 2006 at 02:48 AM, Filed in Key Document Templates,  Methodology Prince II,  Programme Management,  Project Management

Click here to download a FREE PRINCE II PID template. I have stripped out project specific references from a ‘real’ PID to keep much of the text used in the original in order to give valuable insights into how to compile this important document.  I felt this would be better than using a more traditional PRINCE 2 Product Description Style Template. For an example of such a template please refer to post - FREE PRINCE 2 Product Description Template

The question I often get asked by IT Professionals some of whom are surprisingly PRINCE 2 accredited is:-

What is a Project Initiation Document and why is it important to me ?

The answer runs as follows:-

A Project initiation Document (PID) is produced in order to capture and record the basic information required to direct /manage a specific project.

Therefore a PID addresses the following fundamental managment aspects of a project:

• What the project aims to achieve with reference to any business case

• Provide a high level feature based view of the projects scope

• Who will be involved in managing the project and the scope /constraints on such managerial control?

• How the project is to be managed and what methods are to be adopted – Development & Management.

• Defines the roles and responsibilities of everyone involved with the projects and the limits /boundaries to these role /responsibilities.

• Communication Plan detailing what communications are mandatory between project participants and how this is to be achieved and by what means.

• Quality plan detailing what level of quality which will be maintained during the project and how this will be achieved.

• Initial first cut Project Plan Should be only a stage plan if a large project is being undertaken.

• Project timetable of key milestones.

• Project controls – i.e risks /issue management, change control etc

• Initial Risk Analysis

• Budget /Cost estimate for stage /whole project with contingency added.

• Detailed description of the project organisation and issue /risk escalation procedures.

The document is vital for large projects involving lots of interaction with business people and sponsors with little, if any, experience of the role and how a well run project differs from line management. This document if properly used should help prevent spin management techniques being used on your project. For full definition of spin management and a free download of a Anti-Spin Management Prevention Checklist please please click onto the following archived post Anti-Spin Management Checklist

Download the template and try it out today!

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